


Unmedicated

by Poet_Forge



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:22:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27187900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poet_Forge/pseuds/Poet_Forge
Summary: Since he could remember he could see ghosts. Since he could remember he's been told that they weren't real, that it was apart of schizophrenia. Now slowly realizing that what he's been told isn't true, Ichigo starts to accept that he can see ghosts and falls for the crazy midget haunting his closet.
Relationships: Arisawa Tatsuki & Inoue Orihime, Arisawa Tatsuki & Kurosaki Ichigo, Asano Keigo & Kojima Mizuiro & Kurosaki Ichigo, Kuchiki Rukia & Kurosaki Ichigo, Kuchiki Rukia/Kurosaki Ichigo, Kurosaki Ichigo & Kurosaki Isshin, Kurosaki Ichigo & Kurosaki Karin & Kurosaki Yuzu, Kurosaki Ichigo & Sado "Chad" Yasutora
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The first 4 chapters are originally posted to ff.net. Chapter 5 and beyond will be cross posted. Find me on ff by the name djmix12

Ichigo Kurosaki is far from your average Japanese High schooler. At 174 cm, he is fairly tall, lean built, and most definitely imposing, but his most defining features are his bright orange hair and near permanent scowl.

It was a peaceful Mid-May day, after school-

"What the hell?! You appear out of nowhere and suddenly kick down Yama-bro, and now you want us to get out of here?!"

Almost…

Ichigo was surrounded by four punks. One was currently on the ground, bleeding and unconscious. Two were watching the events transpire in disbelief. And the final punk, was currently yelling at Ichigo.

"What are you thinking?! Do you wanna die?! Huh?!" The Punk takes off running toward him. "Say something-" Only to get cut off by Ichigo ramming his foot completely into his face.

The remaining two seem to have at least some shared brain cells. "Toshi-bro's down! D-dont know what's going on but this seems dangerous."

"This guy is definitely one of those! If we fight him, we'll be killed for sure!"

"Shut up already!" Ichigo seems to have had enough of the by play. "All you guys look over there!" He gestures to a knocked down flower and vase at the base of a streetlight. " Question 1! You the stinky looking one!"

"Huh?! Me?!" Tweedle Dee points to himself. "Uh… it's an offering to a kid who died here recently…"

"Correct!" His prize was a kick to the jaw that knocked him flat.

"Mit-bro!" Tweedle Dumb hurries to check on his downed buddy.

"Then answer me this…" Ichigo is suddenly envelopes in a dark aura. "Why is the vase knocked over."

"Th-that's because we knocked it over… skateboarding…"

"I see…" Ichigo takes a moment to collect himself.

"Gah!!!"

Before punching the remaining thug in the gut. "Why don't you just collect your friends and get out of here!"

The Punk couldn't nod his head fast enough. He collected his friends and limped away. Ichigo staring at them with the scowl firmly in place.

"Thank you Mister!" Ichigo was nearly startled by the voice of a young girl. He turned just to see a bloodied little girl floating at head height next to him, smiling brightly. He turned away and marched in toward his house. Resolutely ignoring the little girl as she tried to get his attention.

* * *

As he opened his door, he narrowly avoided a kick to the head.

"You're late! You know dinner is every night at 7!!"

"What the hell old man?! Is this the way you greet your own son after a long day?!"

"No matter what, to he who disrupts this household's harmony, a punishment of blood must be rendered!"

"Oh quit it you two. The food's getting cold." Ichigo's bright little sister decided to speak up. 

"Leave 'em alone Yuzu." Her dark twin muttered. "More for me."

Ichigo looked over his shoulder as he spotted an old man floating by him. "An opening!" Only to get caught in an arm lock by his father.

"Goddamn it Goat Chin!!" Ichigo used his frustrations from today to throw his dad into the nearest wall.

"I have nothing left to teach you my son…" Isshin groaned out as he slid to the floor.

"Forget this! I'm going to bed!" Ichigo's piling frustrations led him to storming out of the room.

"Ah! Ichi-nii!" Yuzu called out toward her brother.

"Oh well he's gone." Karin says with nonchalance. "It's your fault dad."

"W-why?" He looked visibly struck.

Yuzu attention snaps toward her dad. "Ichigo's had a hard time lately! He's been seeing and hearing things more and more lately!!"

"He tells you these things but not me?" Ishin looked ready to break down in tears by this point.

"Even I wouldn't talk about my problems to a father over 40 with the communication skills of a kindergartner." Karin just viscously tore her father apart.

Isshin cries into the giant poster of his dead wife. "Oh Missaki! It must be puberty because these daughters are awfully cruel to their father! What should I do?!"

"You can start by removing that poster of mom." Karin doesn't miss a beat with her reply.

Ichigo was looking into the bathroom mirror after his shower. As he stares at his reflection he sees a figure rash past the doorway behind him. He turns to see nothing there. In a rush, he slams the medicine cabinet open and grabs his pills from within.

"After years of all this, you'd think they'd finally give me something that works." He mumbles to himself as he hurriedly downs the pills.

After a few calming breaths he walks down the hall into his room. After opening his door, he sees a short, dark womanly figure standing by his open closet. Standing at 144 cm, with dark Raven shoulder length hair, it was hard to make out anything else in the darkness.

"Hey you!" He immediately launches himself at his intruder, landing a solid hit into her backside. "Who do you think you are breaking into my room like that?!"

"Wait, you can see me? You can  _ touch _ me?!" Ichigo stares at the woman, entranced by her beautiful violet eyes, when what she says finally registers with him.

_ Oh goddamn it!! _


	2. Attack of the Undead Midget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boy meets Ghost Girl

Ichigo sat on his bed, rubbing the bridge of his nose to stave off the incoming migraine. The short girl was lazily floating around him, her white flowery sundress rustling slightly.

"I know you can see and hear me, there is no point in ignoring me." She poked the side of his head repeatedly with hopes of getting a reaction out of him.

"You're not really here, you are just a figment of my mental imbalance. You can't be here." Ichigo stubbornly kept his gaze to the floor, desperate to not acknowledge her. "I'm going to go to sleep and deal with this in the morning. I'm completely done with today."

As Ichigo lay in bed facing the wall, he didn't see the devious glint in her eye.

* * *

"GOOD MORNING ICHIGOOOO!"

As per usual, the peaceful morning was interrupted by Isshin Kurosaki pouncing toward his sleeping son.

"Goddamn it, Old Man!" 

Only to get intercepted and thrown out the window. 

"GOOD JOB MY SON! I HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO TEACH YOU!"

With a twitching brow and several muttered curses, Ichigo made his way to the dining room to have breakfast with his sisters.

As he walked through to get his serving, he heard snickering from behind him. Looking back he saw Karin not even attempting to hide her amusement, while Yuzu looked confused.

"Ichi-nii? Why is there a mustache drawn on your face?"

Ichigo's lazily raised brow was the only change in his living dead demeanor. "What are you talking about?"

"There's a marker mustache on your face." Karin managed to inform him through her snickers.

Ichigo's eyes widened a bit before he ran back upstairs to the bathroom.

As he stared into the mirror, he was greeted with a swirly mustache on his upper lip.

"Hello there, Barron." The silky voice of the she-devil was unmistakable, as she came floating in behind him in view of the mirror. "I love the new look."

"You did this." There was no accusation in his voice, just a statement of fact. His signature scowl now firmly in place as he washed it off his face in the sink.

The pint-sized terror looked completely innocent, if you didn't look at the devious twinkle in her eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just a figment of your overactive imagination. There is no possible way I could have drawn on your face."

His brows furrowed as he acknowledged that if she really  _ wasn't _ there, this wouldn't be possible. "Okay… let's say you are real," He looked up into her eyes through the mirror as she floated over his shoulder. "what's your name?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and puffed out her cheeks in what definitely wasn't an adorable pout. "You're really only asking my name now? You really are a fool aren't you?"

His twitching moved to the rest of his face. "I'm asking for your name  _ now _ aren't I?"

She stuck her nose into the air rather pompously. "Fine. Because you at least asked I will give you the privilege of knowing my name. Rukia Kuchiki, remember it well."

Ichigo took a deep breath to steady himself. Rukia Kuchiki. He now has a name to apply to her. "Well can you get out of here, Midget. I need to take a shower, anyway. I've got school today."

Rukia took one long look at him. As he started to shift around awkwardly and scratched the back of his neck, he opened his mouth. 

"Ouch!" Only to get kicked in the shin.

She huffed and floated out of the room as he hopped on one foot to soothe the throbbing. "I just gave you my name, use it!" She called back over her shoulder.

"Stupid brat." Ichigo muttered to himself as he prepared for his shower.

* * *

After a relaxing shower and less relaxing breakfast, with his sisters questioning where the mustache came from, he was finally making his way to school. As he was walking, he took in the form of Rukia walking alongside him. "Tell me again why you're following me?"

She didn't even glance back at him. "Because, you're the only person that can see me and interact with me." This time she glanced back at him with that irritating teasing smirk. "Plus, you're really fun to mess with."

Ichigo just huffed and glared up ahead as they entered the school.

It was like the parting of the Red Sea, the way the crowd of students parted away from Ichigo. It's like his scowl and irritated glare created a 5 foot no fly zone around him. As the students all fell silent and stared as he walked by, the tension was broken by a shrill, joyful yell.

"ICCHHIIIIGOOO!"

Ichigo's friend, Keigo Asano, created a one man stampede across the hall as he took a running leap to glomp Ichigo.

"Ack!"

Only to get a foot to the face and his head slammed into the ground. "Good morning Keigo." Ichigo deadpanned.

"Good morning." Came the mumbled response.

"You'd think he'd have learned by now." The comment drew Ichigo's attention to Mizurio Kojima, one of his other friends.

Ichigo just scratched the back of his head as the tension left him. "Nah, he's too thick-headed for that."

"I don't think you should talk about thick-headed."

It took all of his will power to not react to Rukia's snark. Instead he turned to his gentle giant of a friend, Yasutora "Chad" Sado. "Morning, Chad."

Chad just nodded his head and responded with a soft rumbling, "Good Morning."

With pleasantries exchanged the homeroom bell rang.

* * *

Ichigo's brow continued to twitch as he grit his teeth.

_ Deep breaths, Ichigo. Deep breaths. _ He steadied his breathing, in and out, as he continued his test, trying to tune out Rukia's constant unnecessary comments/"helpful" answers. 

She looked at the paper from over his shoulder, "Well what do you know, you  _ are _ smarter than the average dumbass."

His pencil snapped between his fingers as he hissed a whispered, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

She just shot him that damnable, infuriating, sexy, self-satisfied smirk. "You know what I mean, dumbass."

He just slammed his head into his desk.

* * *

The lunch bell was a saving grace. As he made his way up to the rooftop, he looked to the smug pint sized demon next to him. "I hate you. I genuinely, absolutely hate you."

Rukia just floated up in front of him and flicked his nose, "No you don't. I'm adorable." Before turning around and moving ahead of him.

Ichigo just stared after her for a couple of seconds before he shook his head to restart his brain.  _ Stupid cocky half-pint. _

As he stepped onto the roof, he fished his bento from within his bag and took his usual seat against the fence, Rukia sitting next to him.

Keigo, Mizurio, and Chad stepped out not long after. Keigo was chatting animatedly about a possible date, with Mizurio too busy texting one of his girlfriends to really pay attention, and Chad just following along quietly.

They each sat down, forming a circle. Keigo being the first to speak up. " So, Ichigo, are you okay? You looked really tense during the test today. Did you not study?"

Ichigo just huffed, "No, nothing like that. The test was actually easy. I'm just not feeling that well today." Before adding, "I have this midget following me everywhere with her unneeded comments." Under his breath, keeping a surprisingly straight face for having an elbow dug deep into his gut.

Mizurio just looked up at Ichigo, "What was that last part?"

His question was just waved off, "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ichigo looked over to Chad's worried gaze, before giving a smirk.

"Yeah, I'm okay. There's nothing to worry about."

Chad just stared for a second, then nodded in acceptance.

While everyone was absorbed in something, Chad with his food, Mizurio with his phone, and Keigo talking to Mizurio, Rukia reached over and stole a few pieces of meat from Ichigo's bento. He looked shocked for a second and let out a "What the Hell?" Before he could stop himself. When everyone looked up at him, he packed up his stuff, "Lunch is almost over, I'm heading to class."

Keigo and Mizurio just shrugged and went back to what they were doing. Chad looked up at Ichigo as he left, wondering what was going on with his best friend and if he saw right when the food just floated up and disappeared.

When Ichigo got back into the school he whipped around toward Rukia. "What the hell was that, Midget?!"

She just blinked her puppy dog eyes at him and shrugged. "What?"

He didn't buy it for a second, "What the hell were you thinking eating my food in front of everyone!? What if they saw that?!"

"For a man who's in denial that I exist, you sure are treating me like I'm real."

"You know what, after today there's no denying it. I just wanted to because that was safe. That was relatively  _ normal _ . Now I guess normal's out of the question. But I'd still rather you not do that infront of my friends."

"Why not? They're gonna find out eventually."

Ichigo just let out a groan.  _ Just great. _ This meant the midget is never going to leave him alone. This was his life now. He dragged a hand down his face and took a deep breath. Okay, he could deal with this.

"Fine. Do what you want."

She just smiled brightly at him. "I knew you'd see it my way!"

He just turned to the side, a hint of a blush on his cheeks. "Yeah, whatever."

* * *

The final bell rang, and as the classes emptied, Ichigo casually strolled out onto the sidewalk. Walking alongside Rukia, he addressed her without looking, "You're going to follow me again tomorrow, aren't you?"

Rukia just let out a hum before floating ahead and turning to look at him, a cheeky grin upon her lips. "What do you think?"

Ichigo just gave an exasperated sigh before continuing on his way, the wayward spirit just following after him.

Unknown to the two a figure watched from the shadow of a building not far from them. The only thing noticeable was the glare from their glasses.


	3. Heart to Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why the denial?

"So," Rukia drew Ichigo's attention away from their walk to school. "why did you give in so quickly in believing that I'm real?"

Ichigo took a second to think about how to word his response, staring glassy eyes into the distance. "Ever since I was little, I could see and hear things other people couldn't. At first everyone thought they were imaginary friends, something innocent. It was when my mother died that it all changed. I was diagnosed as schizophrenic and I believed it because I wanted to believe it.  _ I _ was the reason she died. It was  _ my _ fault our world was taken from us.  _ I  _ killed her. I guess it was just easier for me that way."

Ichigo took a moment to compose himself. "Long story short, just because I wanted to believe it doesn't make it true. I had evidence to the contrary. My medications never worked, no matter what they changed my prescriptions to. I always saw them here and there. And then there's you." He turns to look her in the eyes. " You interact with everything around you, in ways other people can see. People could know you're there, I wouldn't be unstable for saying you're real." He turns back and continues walking. "If you have enough evidence there's no more use denying."

"Ichigo…" Rukia calls after him. "Thank you for telling me this."

He just shakes his head. "It's nothing you wouldn't have found out sooner or later. I'm not ready to tell you what happened that night, but you'll know when I am." He looked over his shoulder and showed her the first genuine smile she'd seen from him. It was small but it easily lit up his whole face, showing the first sign of the youth he was beneath his scowling demeanor.

* * *

When the lunch bell rang Ichigo was on his way to the roof as usual, with Rukia floating lazily behind him.

"Hey, Kurosaki!" When an unusual voice called out to him. He turned to find his classmate Uryu Ishida staring at something over his shoulder. "That's an interesting friend you've got there."

It took a couple of seconds for Uryu's comment to click. "Wait… You can see her too?!"

He let out a derisive snort. "Obviously. Who else would I be talking about?"

Ichigo calmed the twitch of his brow. "Okay smartass, if you can see her why wait until today to say something? You could've said something yesterday."

"I thought you would've been rid of your...guest by now." Ichigo could hear what could almost be called disgust when addressing Rukia.

"Okay asshat, what's your problem?"

"My problem is that the dead have no reason to involve themselves in the lives of the living. You should be rid of her while you can."

It took almost all of his currently limited self-control not to leap at Uryu and bash his very punchable face in.

"Okay I heard your advice, and it was unwanted."

"Just thought I'd warn you. Nothing good will come of this." With those parting words, Uryu turned and walked away.

"What a dick." Ichigo found himself nodding in agreement to Rukia's statement.

"Let's go. Dealing with Sir Douche made me hungry."

* * *

Keigo, Mizuiro, and Chad watched in fascination as food was being taken from Ichigo's bento and disappearing to God knows where.

"So is everyone else going crazy or is it just me?" Keigo was the one to predictably break the silence.

Mizuiro's responded without thinking, "What do you mean going crazy? You're already there."

And the spell was suddenly broken, with Keigo screaming betrayal and crying his eyes out as Mizurio tries to calm him down.

Chad just looks at Ichigo. "You were telling the truth."

Ichigo was taken aback for a second. It was said like a statement of truth, like Chad had always believed him and this evidence was just further proof to it.

Ichigo just nodded back to Chad, as Keigo finally snapped back to reality with a jolt, like he had come to a realization.

"Ichigo, HOW COULD YOU?!"

He just raised a brow in response, "How could I what?"

"Keep your girlfriend hidden from us!! How long has she been here?! What else have you done together?!"

Ichigo's face turned an interesting shade of red as he sputtered for a moment. "W-w-huh?!"

Rukia wasn't helping with that teasing smile being drawn upon her lips. "Yes, Ichigo. How could you? Keeping a small, helpless girl like me all to yourself?"

Ichigo finally regained enough composure tk respond. "Helpless, my ass. My bruised ribs say otherwise, you she-devil!"

She just released a few years and started sniffling. "Why are you saying such mean things to me?"

He just released an exasperated sigh and pulled a juice box from next to him and tossed it to Rukia. It bounced off her head and landed in front of her.

"What's this?" She asked Ichigo as she inspected it, turning it left and right to figure out how it worked.

"It's a juice box."

"How does it work?"

Ichigo just looked at her for a few seconds, before taking it back. "You see this?" He pulled the straw from the side. "You remove it from the wrapper and then insert it into the hole on top." He demonstrated for her.

She just looked at him completely seriously before nodding, before taking it from him and taking a sip. Letting out a satisfied hum ad she drank.

Chad was just observing the interaction from the side. "You're happy."

His voice startling Ichigo from his observations of Rukia. He scratched the back of his head. "I guess, I am." He responded as if slightly unsure.

Chad just nodded and gave a soft smile, "I'm glad."

* * *

The walk home was relatively peaceful, with a calm and comfortable silence between them.

"You have good friends." Ichigo just side-eyed Rukia, before nodding.

"The best." Ichigo turned toward Rukia fully. "What about you? Do you have any ghost friends?"

She just looks at him and gives an enigmatic smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"What about when you were alive? Any friends or family?"

Rukia had a small smile on her face as she nodded. "I had an older Sister and Brother-in-law. I loved them both. Nee-chan was the sweetest woman I knew, but she was incredibly sickly. Even when she didn't have the energy to move, she did what she can to help me whenever she could. Nii-sama was a stoic and honorable man. To those who don't know him, he seemed like a cold and distant man. That couldn't be further from the truth. He was incredibly strong in character and passionate about customs and his pride. I think you would've gotten along well with him." She had a few years leaking from her eyes when Ichigo pulled her into a surprise hug.

"What were their names?"

"Byakuya and Hisana." 

"I would've loved to meet them."

Rukia backed up from the hug and looked up at him. "Without them I don't really have anyone."

"That's not true." Her eyes widened in curiosity. "You have me, and I'm not going anywhere." He wrapped his arms around her shoulder and continued to walking home. "And even if I do die," Ichigo looks down at her "I guess we can haunt each other."

* * *

Ichigo was sitting on his bed looking out his window, watching the bright stars twinkle, as Rukia made her bed in his closet.

"Remind me again why you're sleeping in my closet?" 

He felt a shiver run down his spine at her teasing smile. "Would you rather I sleep in bed with you?"

Ichigo's face resembled a berry with how red his face got.

"Awe. Is Berry-tan flustered?" She walked toward him with a slow almost alluring gait, stopping a few inches from him. She leaned forward, almost as if she was going to kiss him. His breathing sped up along with his heartbeat. He could almost feel her breath before-

"Ack!"

She punched him in his liver, folding him in half like a chair.

She huffs as she turns away and walks back toward  _ her _ closet. Leaving him gasping for breath.

"You wish, Strawberry." She gives that final remark as she crawls into the closet. "Goodnight, Ichigo."

He was too busy trying to regain his breath to respond, only flipping off the closet door.

_ Goddamn Midget!!  _


	4. The Calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mask is shown

Ichigo's eye was constantly twitching. It's been doing that a lot in recent times.

He can't help but be completely done with this situation.

"I'll kill you Kurosaki!"

He tried to block out the shouting of the thug he had in a head lock.

"Why do you guys insist on trying to attack me?" He stared deadpan at the leader of the group of rejects. "It didn't work the last 20 times, and it won't work this time."

"Why do you insist on dying your hair?"

This guy talks a lot of shit for someone in throat punching distance.

"How many times do I have to tell you?!" Ichigo's annoyance got the better of him and he choked his captive into unconciousness, his victim trying to tap out. "This is my natural color!!"

With his annoyance at its peak, he lobbed his meat shield at the leader. With him sufficiently distracted, he roundhouse kicked the closest delinquent on his right.

He was about to take a pipe to the side, when he heard a sharp grunt. Turning to look over his shoulder, he spots his giant of a friend Chad, folding one guy over his fist while holding another at arm's distance with his hand engulfing the poor bastard's face.

With Chad gaining their attention, he was free to assess the situation. It's a two on eight fight. He felt sorry for the poor things. It was almost a fair fight.

He stomped towards the leader and punched him directly in the Trachea. Ichigo grabbed the back of the gasping man's head, roughly pulling his hair and making eye contact with him.

"Listen well douchebag." Ichigo was well past the point of done with this bull. "You're gonna take whoever's left of your group of misfit toys, run with your tail between your legs, like the scared and useless puppy you are, and you're not gonna come back here."

The man couldn't nod fast enough. Even pulling out some hairs that remained in Ichigo's grip. Not even looking at his lackeys, he ran from the orange haired demon as fast as his legs could carry.

Turning back to Chad, Ichigo saw him piling up 6 unconscious bodies. With a sigh he walked up to the big guy.

"Good job Chad." 

With a thumbs up in return, Ichigo patted Chad on the back and shouldered his bag to continue his walk home.

"Why'd you have to go for the throat?"

He spared the floating midget but a glance.

"'Cause he dissed the hair."

And continued on his merry way.

* * *

Ichigo was laying in bed with nothing but pyjama pants on, staring at the ceiling.

"If you keep getting negative attention because of your hair, why don't you dye it?"

He turned to look Rukia in the eyes.

"If I cared what anyone else thought, I would have a long time ago. But I don't, so why should I give a shit what they think?"

Rukia took a second to find the words for her next question.

"You really like your hair, don't you?"

"Definitely. It's one of the last links I have to my mother. We had almost the exact same shade of hair."

He pulled a bang to directly over his eye. "I used to hate it for the attention it got me, but I can't tarnish one of the last things I share with her. If I get a bit of negative press for it.." Ichigo just shrugged a shoulder. "Oh well. Too bad, so sad. I'll get over it."

He stretched his arms above his head. "So if it's the same to you, I'mma hit the hay. Goodnight Midget."

He rolled over and closed his eyes, barely missing Rukia mumbling to herself.

"I'm not a midget, you're just freakishly tall."

* * *

Ichigo walked into class, a smile on his lips. Freaking some of his nearby classmates out.

"Well you seem chipper today."

He didn't even turn to Rukia.

"It just seems like a good day, Rukia."

No infuriating nickname, no near permanent scowl, a plastic smile, false joy. There were so many alarm bells ringing for her it wasn't even funny.

Two more of Ichigo's classmates walked in. Tatsuki and Orihime, if she remembered correctly.

Tatsuki took one look at Ichigo and released an almost explosive sigh. "Oh man, it's that time of year." She sounded resigned.

_ What does she mean by "that time of year"?  _ Rukia felt like she wasn't going to get much out of Ichigo about it yet, and instead went about trying to bug him.

* * *

The day went by too fast and they were home again. Ichigo staring out the window to his room at the night sky.

"What's up with you, Ichigo? You've been off all day."

It was hard for her to hold in the gasp when he looked at her. His gaze was hard and piercing, like he was looking straight through to her thoughts.

"We're not going to school tomorrow." His tone was solemn, as he responded without actually answering her question.

She raised a brow to him. "And why is that?"

"Tomorrow's the anniversary." Well now it seemed like he was intentionally being a vague ass about it.

"Anniversary of what?" She sounded exasperated, like she was waiting for another vague answer.

"The anniversary," Ichigo took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and looked directly into her undead soul, "of when my mother died. Or more accurately, when I killed her."


	5. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The death of a mother is never easy

Ichigo's eyes snapped open, his body at full alert. 6:00 am starting back at him from the alarm clock on his bedside table.

He got ready for the day and walked down the stairs to see the commotion of his family getting ready for the trip.

Yuzu was busy packing a picnic basket full for lunch, Karin was packing a blanket and had a bundle of flowers on the table next to her, and Isshin was being his usual goofy self, trying his best to offset the dour mood.

Ichigo just came up from behind and smacked him upside the head.

"It's too early to deal with you. At least wait until later, I can't handle you at this ungodly hour."

With that said, he moved to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee and set about mental preparing himself for the day.

As his family headed out on the path to the cemetery, he hung back on his own, watching them as his sisters raced uphill and his father tried to keep up.

"I don't think I should be here." 

He shot a quick side glance to Rukia as she floated next to him, her eyes never leaving the road and her head bowed.

"I asked you to be here didn't I?" Ichigo turned back forward and continued walking. 

"I just feel like I'm invading a private moment for your family."

He just let out an exasperated sigh. "It's not invading if you're invited. I want you here, that's all there is to it. So chin up, would you? I'm the one that's supposed to be mopey here."

With that, they caught up to the Kurosaki's as Yuzu and Karin had finished praying. They took off to set up the picnic, leaving Ichigo and Rukia alone with Isshin.

Isshin took a slow drag of his cigarette, staring at the head stone of his late wife. "I'll leave you alone in a bit but," He looks to Ichigo, the rare serious look on his face. "You know she wouldn't want you to blame yourself, she loved you and it would hurt her to know you still feel responsible for her death."

Ichigo just let out a noncommittal hum. "Yeah, I know Goat Chin."

Isshin let's his cigarette hit the ground and stomps it out. "It hurts me too, you know." He left to find his daughters.

Ichigo walks to stand in front of his mother's tombstone, Rukia following solemnly behind him.

"I didn't know your dad smokes."

"He quit a long time ago, but now he only smokes today in remembrance. He says my mom used to say he looked cool while smoking." He lets out a light chuckle. "I don't see it."

Ichigo bent down into a squat and traced his mother's name. Masaki Kurosaki. He missed her, so much.

With a deep breath, he stood and looked skyward.

"It was 6 years ago when it happened. The day went how it usually did."

Rukia hurried to stop him. "You don't have to tell me!"

His eyes snapped to her for a second, before looking up and closing again. "I might not have to, but I want to. Back then, I wasn't able to differentiate between a living person and a ghost." He let the silence hang for a second, making sure she won't interrupt him. "It was right after karate practice, and I just got my ass handed to me by Tatsuki."

* * *

"When are you going to stop being such a cry baby?" Tatsuki looked like she was wondering why he was still with the dojo.

"I'm not a cry baby. You just hit really hard." Ichigo was clearing the tears in his eyes when he heard the door to the Dojo open.

"Ichigo!"

His whole face lit up, all his previous sadness and pain forgotten as his mother came into view. A wide and pure smile, that only a child could produce, spread across his face. 

"Mommy!" 

He ran forward to hug her legs. He felt a hand rub his head, and looked up to see her beautiful face smiling down at him. She was like an angel there to protect him. 

"Why don't we go get ice cream?"

With his enthusiastic agreement, they walked out into the rain. His mother holding the umbrella to shield them from it, and him pulling her hand to lead her along.

It was as they were walking that he saw it. A girl just standing in the middle of the road, with a car speeding in about to hit her.

Ichigo didn't think, he just ran. "HEY, LOOK OUT!"

She didn't even acknowledge him, just standing there in the path of danger. As he got closer, all he saw were the headlights heading towards him. "ICHIGO!!!" And he blacked out.

When he came to he saw the car was gone and he was covered in blood. Feeling a weight on him, he rolled it over. "M-mom!"

There lay his mother, vacant eyes staring at nothing. Her body was mangled, blood spilling out onto the street, and her legs pointing at odd angles. "Mom! Mommy! Wake up! Wake up please! Mommy!" He kept calling to her, shaking her over and over, hoping she would respond. Hoping against hope that she would awaken. He felt hands grab him as he was pulled away. "No no! Mommy!"

Finally, he took notice of the police cars and ambulance on the scene. The flashing red being the only thing illuminating the area. He watched as the paramedics covered his mother's body. Tears were streaming down his face, mixing in with the rain pouring onto him.

* * *

"Since that night, I've always hated the rain. It felt like there was a constant torrential storm within my very soul. It was hard to smile for so long, and I took out my pain on those around me. Creating a distance between myself and my family, never really hanging out with my friends, and constantly getting into fights."

He took a breath to look over to Rukia, she was standing there and staring, coming to terms with what he told her.

"Looking back, it was a ghost I saw that night. It was the reason I tried to deny it. If I was schizophrenic, then it was my fault that she died. I tried to save someone that didn't exist and my mom, the center of our family, the one that everyone revolved around, was dead because of me. I was looking for a reason to punish myself. But since I met you, I've been able to come to terms with it." He watched as Rukia slowly walked towards him and hugged him.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that…"

He hugged her back and let out a soft chuckle and let his arms wrap around her. He pointed his finger against his skull. "Up here, I know that it's not my fault. I was just a kid, how was I supposed to know she was a ghost. But down here," he put his hand against his heart "I'm still coming to terms with it." He felt a small but bright smile settle itself upon his face. "I know that I'm getting there, because when I'm with you the rain is gone. You took my rain away."

With that proclamation, he took a look at her face, as she was staring up at him with something akin to awe, took hold of her chin, and laid a kiss upon her lips. He felt Rukia melt into the embrace and let a small smile tug at his lips through the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is. Chapter 5 and all the feels that comes with it. See you all next time. And please leave a review.


End file.
